Luggage carriage



Aug. 25, 1953 K. R. COSTIKYAN LUGGAGE CARRIAGE Filed July 20, 1949Patented Aug. 25, 1953 UNITED? STATES PATENT OFFICE LUGGAGE CARRIAGEKent R. Costikyan, Montclair, N. J 7

Application July 20, 1949, Serial No. 105,823 I 1 Claim. (o1. 280-35) 4r The present invention relates to wheeled luggage carriages of the typeadapted temporarily to be mounted on pieces of luggage, such assuitcases, trunks and the like to facilitate their manualtransportation. 7

r A general object of the present invention is to provide such a devicewhich is readily and economically constructed and easily manipulated,and is of very light weight and compact in form while being readilycollapsible or compactly packable to permit desirable storage withminimum occupancy of space in luggage when not in use; such apparatusbeing readily attached and detached in a simple manner, preferablyadaptable to various'shapes and sizes of different types of luggagepieces, and readily employed with maximum comfort by people of diiferentheights for easy rolling transport of such luggage pieces withoutinterfering with the carrying thereof on stair ways.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide such apparatus ina form which permits Wheeled support of one, end edge of such luggagepieces with secure seating thereinof the corners at both ends of thatedge; the device preferably being readily adjustable to the'dimensionsthereof and being simply and removably fastened thereto in a mosteflicient and secure manner by strap or tying means extendingtoward thediagonally opposite end edge. r r

A further object of the'present invention is to provide an embodiment ofthe device which is readily adapted to eifectivemanual transport useeither as a single unit or in pairs, with one in the latter case servingat one endedgeof the luggage piece as the wheeled carriage and the otherat the diagonally opposite end edge as a strap anchorage and handengagement device. 1 1

. Cther objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will inpart appear hereinafter,

- The invention accordingly comprises the featuresof construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of'the invention will be indicated in the claim.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of. an embodiment of the device of thepresent-invention showing it mounted in a particular manner upon a largesuitcase, the outlines of which are indicated in dotted lines withpartsbroken away, for wheeled support of the latter; p j i Fig. 2 is anotherperspective view of the carriage structure shown in Fig. 1,.Withoutlines'of a suitcase mounted thereon being indicated in dotted linesand with parts broken away, showing a modification of the harness meansemployed to secure the suitcase upon the carriage, and with the assemblyshown tilted to normal wheeling position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the two complementarymembers of the carriage device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 which togetherserve as a unitary carriage when mounted together-and equipped withwheels; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2 with dottedline portions of the suitcase omitted in order to avoid confusion.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals identify similar partsthroughout, it will be seen that an embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a carriage structure formed of a pair of complementary members5, 5-, each in the form of a V-shaped, elongated unit made from rigidmaterial, such as lightmetallic composition or plastic. By reference toFigs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that each member 5 comprises a relativelynarrow, elongated, rectangular bottom panel 6 flanked on bothlongitudinal sides by substantially rectangular, elongated side panelsI, I. As best seen in Fig. 2, the two side panels 1, 7 are arrangedsubstantially normal or at ninety degrees to each other, with themedially interposed bottom panel 6 arranged substantially at.

one hundred and thirty-five degrees to each. An apertured end piece 8 isprovided in the form of a cross bar extendin from the outer corners at9, 9 of side panels 1, 1. Each member 5 is provided with means forsupporting a roller or a wheel in the nature of a pair ofaxially-apertured, projectingmembers or ears l0 and I l extendingsubstantially normal to and outwardly away from bottom panel 6. Ears If!and II are laterally spaced to receive a'wheel I2 therebetween,rotatably supported on an axle I3 extended through holes [4, it in thoseears, as shown.

Each side panel 1 is provided with a longitudinally-extending, elongatedslot l5, and a notch I6 is provided in its outer edge near the corner 9.Cross bar 8 has its inner edge provided with a notch I! to serve as astrap seat extending substantially normal to a line approximatelybisecting the angle between side panels 1, 7. Notch l7 prevents thestrap from undesirably sliding along cross bar 8 and thus predeterminesthe location of the strap anchorage. In a preferred construction, theear! I is formed by striking out and bending up a portion of the bottompanel 6, as indicated in Fig. '2, andv an extension of an end of thelatter is bent up to provide the ear I 0. Although it is possibleto formthe member 5, shown I V in Fig. 2, by means of a casting-or moldingprocedure, it is preferred to stamp it out of sheet metal, with the bar8 formed as an integral part of one end of one side panel 1 at 9 andhaving the free end of that bar subsequently welded to the opposite endedge of the other side panel I at 9', after shaping. Alternately the bar8 may be stamped as a separate piece and welded on at both ends.

Two such members as shown in Fig. 2, after equipping each with a wheelii, are then'slid ably connected together, such as by means of a pair ofcarriage bolts l8, I8, each extended through aligned slots I5, l5 ofboth members, and upon the threaded end of which is mounted a wing nuti9. With loosening of the wing nuts l9, [9 it will be seen that a pairof complementary members 5, 5 may be slid longitudinally relative toeach other so as to adjust the distance between their cross bars 8, 8.Such sliding connection of the pair of members 5, 5 also per- .mitscompact packing thereof by telescoping them toward each other, and in anactual embodiment of the invention, such carriage structure is easilypacked within a box four inches by four inches by eight inches (4" x l"x 8") in size.

As proposed in Fig. 1, such carriage construction may be mounted on alarge suitcase, such as that indicated in dotted lines at 25.1, byloosening the wing. nuts [9, l9 and seating an end edge 2! of thesuitcase within the troughdike seat provided by the carriage. Members 5,5 are then slid toward each other so as to bring the cross bars 8, 8snugly up against opposite sides or" the suitcase, after which wing nuts19, I9 are tightened. It'is intended that the carriage so fittedon theend edge 2! of suitcase 2 be temporarily and securely held thereon bymeans of diagonally-arranged tying members. Such members may comprise apair of adjustable straps 22, each having one end 2'3 fastened about oneof" the cross bars "8 and seated within the notch- H therein. The otherend M-of each flexible strap 22 may likewise be fastened toa similarmember 5 of a similar carriage unit fitted on the diagonally oppositecorner edge 25. Thus, one carriage unit may serve as a wheeling device,with the other carriage unit serving as an anchorageymeans for thediagonal straps 22,. and also as means forengagement by thehands of aperson to facilitate wheeling the suitcase in a tilted position if swungover to the right as viewed in Fig. 1 substantially to that indicated inFig. 3'. In' such case, it may also be desirable to substitute for thewheels ['2', i2 and their axles l3; iirof one carriage unit a throughrod 28 to serve as a cross bar easily grasped by the hands formanipulating the carriageequipped suitcase.

As proposed in Fig. 3, the carriage unit'may be equipped with a flexibleand adjustable straploop 2? having its ends 28 respectively secured tocross'bars 8,; 8," and of sumcient length as to pass around the oppositeendv 29 of suitcase. 26 up to the vicinity of the diagonally opposed endedge 25. The flexible strap loop. 2T of the modification shown in' Fig.3 is provided with a fiexibleandadiustable length of auxiliary straphaving a loop '31 slidably receiving strap 27. The auxiliary strap 31!is of such length as to permit it to be lapped up over end edge. 25. ofsuitcase 26' and down to handle 32' thereof for fastening thereto asindicated. Strap loop 21 may be additionally provided'with a handle 33'to facilitate handling of the piece of luggage 4 which may be easilywheeled along in the tilted position shown therein. The adjustability ofstrap loop 21 may be provided by well known buckle means hidden fromview on the far side of luggage piece '20 in Fig. 3.

As indicated in Fig. 3, the notches l6, IS in the edges of the sidepanels I, l accommodate glide buttons 34, 34, or like projections, withwhich pieces of luggage are frequently equipped.

It'will' thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efliciently attained and,since certain changes may be made in the above construction anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made Without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in. a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claim is intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

In a luggage carriage having a pair of complementary members, eachmember comprising a one-piece, rigid structure having a narrow,elongated, planar bottom panel of quadrilateral configuration; a pairof' elongated, planar side panels of quadrilateral configurationflanking opposite sides of said bottom panel, and each.

side panel havingone side edge secured to a corresponding side edge ofsaid bottom panel, each of said side panels being arranged about normalto each otherand at an angle of about to said bottom panel to provide areceptive seat for a portion of a bottom' end edge of a rectangularpiece of luggage; a crossbar providing an end piece extending between,and secured to the upper end portions.- of, the pair of outboard endedges of said side panels, said cross bar having adownwardly facingmedial strap seat extending longitudinally of. said each ofsaid sidepanels being longitudinally: slotted for reception of fastening meansand having a glide button-clearance notch in its outer edge in thevicinity of said cross bar; and a" pair of axle-apertured spacedears forreception of a wheel therebetween to be rotatably supported thereby,said ears being mounted on the bottom side of andextending: out awayfrom said bottom panel about normal thereto and about parallel to eachother and to said cross bar with one ear located in the vicinity of theoutboard end of saidbottom panelnearest said cross bar.

KENT R: COSTIKYAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,788,150 Curtin Jan. 6, 1931 2,375,338 Alexander May 8, 19452,439,660 Kil Apr. 13, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number. Country Date 552,374Great Britain Apr. 5, 1943 622,602 Great. Britain May 4, 1949 821,263France. Dec. 1, 1937 869,576 France Nov. 17', 1941

